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Minds And Machines (Alex)
The sun rose over the City of X'aan, its last day of peace for the foreseeable future. A drow elf sat perched on a cliffside overlooking the Xenos field. She was herself bandaged and bruised, healing from wounds inflicted by one of the many characters below. As she watched the High Heralds delegate the six "Harbingers" into separate sections of the fields. Alesis had announced that the "Living Wills of the Gatekeepers" would be training today to take on a great foe tomorrow. The Elf could only scoff at the demonstrations below. But her eyes remained fixated on the Half-Elf Agitato, who was regaling Lachrotho and Reverbershut with a pretty tune. "It should have been me, she muttered." "Reginiat? What are you doing here?" ---- Miritis didn't want to be here. Not with Athkia, not with the other heralds, and certainly not near the other Harbingers. The wounds of her trial was still too fresh. The Weaponmaster had tasked them all with one thing today: learning to control their Holy Mounts, living weapons generated by the Relics, that would be instrumental against the fated war with Besilisk. If Miritis had any doubts about the likely high level of extinction of wildlife this battle would cause, she made no mention of it to the others. Athkia looked to her, “Are you really not going to tell the others, darling?” “Don’t say that, Herald,” She snapped, but as she ran her hand along the Thorny Staff-Whip, she knew the Herald was right. She knew how to willfully activate the Wing-ed Gazelle, it was part of her final trial to leave the forests of Valenn. But she was a firm believer that the others needed to learn on their own. Athkia had been pressuring her sense last night to reveal it and save them all the time, but Miritis, she wasn’t going to give others that satisfaction. They...He, had it so easy. They needed to know frustration, they needed to get angry. They needed to suffer? “No, They need to learn.” Yes. They needed to suffer. Miritis was getting a delight from watching Az and Heirad attempt to spin themselves into a transformation. They had already been spinning for minutes now. Thalia was full of encouragement, but Nikotaan was standing there, a bit impatient. He probably wishes he could be the one turning back time, Miritis thought. She looked to Andra’seen, actually surprisingly had a good idea. She had tried to invoke the other powers of her Dagger’s of Balance, but it had led to great exertion on her part. And she was sweating. Both Eve and their High Heralds had offered words of encouragement, but Andra’seen brushed them aside in frustration. She wanted to figure this out, and was determined to do so. She turned to look at the Harbinger of Fate, but this pull of anger pushed her to look away, back to her staff. “You’re really avoiding them that badly, huh?” Athkia intoned. Miritis felt her heart sink a bit. She knew what her High Herald was really saying: her avoidance of Agitato was invalid. Deep down the Tiefling knew she was right. It wasn’t Ag’s fault that Quem died. It wasn’t Ag’s fault that Secare happened to fall for them. But damn, its unfair. Things just worked out for Ag sometimes. Being Zelenix’s favorite, joining Citadel, getting the hand of a living nobl--- Her inner discourse was interrupted by Athkia’s greeting, “Good Morning, Agitato!” Miritis turned to see Agitato, had walked up to them, with Lachrotho in tow, And there was a determined face on Ag’s lips. “Shit,” She thought. Ag said nothing to Miritis, but looked to Athkia, “Can I have her for a moment?” “SHIT.” ---- Reginiat whirled around to stare into the face of The High Sorceress Zelenix, dressed in simple hermitude robes. Her dragons were no-where near. This seemed out of order for her. But her face was not. Zelenix had a face of curiosity and concern. “Ugh.. Hi.. Milady.” Fuck, this won’t be good. Zelenix arched her eyebrows, as she stepped and sat next to her pupil. The pair watched Evelynn attempt to remove her mask and have Leviticaan blast it, in an attempt to activate her Holy Mount, only to have Leviticaan’s shot knock the mask far from Evelynn’s range, causing the Harbinger to crumple to the floor. The Heralds seemed unconcerned, as Leviticaan guilty walked over, picked up the mask, and put it back on Eve’s face, which pulsed, sending her upright and awake. Reginiat could make out a shrug. “Reginiat...what are you here for?” “I could ask the same?” “You could, but I suspect my answer is boring in comparison to what Hellus told me.” Reginiat gulped. She knows. She had tried so hard to keep her interaction at Athan a secret, but she should have known that Zelenix would be informed of her plan to intervene with the Herald of Fate’s quest to find a Harbinger. “..Yeah.” Az and heirad had been spinning now for eight? Nine? Minutes. But they had stopped. Instead, they began a duel with each other, wondering if combat was required to solve this mystery. Thalia seemed to invite Nikotaan into a sort of battle meditation, enhancing the pairs skills. “I need to know If you are going to try to kill him Reginiat.” What?! “HIgh Sorcer-” Zelenix gestured, and Reginiat could no longer speak, “I am no fool, Reginiat. I have seen your persistence. It is admirable, but If I do not leave here with your promise to cease intervention, I will leave with your corpse strewn amongst these rocks.” ---- “Of course darling! I’d love to catch up about Massasi and Hersara!” Athkia giddly said to Lachrotho, as she shot a knowing grandmotherly glance to Miritis. Leaving her alone, in the Xenos field, with Agitato. Nowhere to run without being caught. There was silence as Agitato looked with a stern stare. Yet Miritis could detect an air of magic surging in him. Miritis’ eyes turned to fright, War’s balls, not now. Ag’s face showed no sign of fear. Instead, it was a passive acceptance. Power was coming. They’d embrace it. Miritis ran out of things to do.. So she blurted out, “I know how to make the holy mount!” Agitato looked surprised. The Haz duel ended. Evelynn and Andra’seen turned to look at Miritis. She couldn’t take the silence being alone. As the other Harbingers and Heralds flocked to her at once, Miritis caught Athkia’s disapproving eye. She didn’t dare stare at Ag. But her deflection worked. She took a breath, and began detailing the mechanics. ---- Az hadn’t thought of that before. The process Miritis described was so simple. Like when the relics were first created, the Holy Mounts were summoned when the High Heralds re-casted the Unification ritual. Az of course, was quick to share information. His ritual seemed to move faster when he did things related to it, such as murdering vines. Heirad looked to him, “Babe, you still got a lot to tell me.” Thalia was the first to speak, “Then lets get started. Can I have the Reed Rep---dammit Az. You got me saying it.” Az laughed. Thalia, “Just give me the damn sword.” Everyone spread out again, as Az handed the sword to Thalia. On it, the following was etched, “Bring out the big guns!” At that point, Thalia and the others began their rituals. While he waited, Az made out something fascinating. Agitato had not stopped staring in a harrowing expression toward Miritis. Well, I solved Eve and Andra’seen, how bad is two more to fix? ---- As soon as Az came over, Agitato knew she was in for a lecture, or probing inquiry. “Hey.” “Well, hello Harbinger! How was your date with Secare…..” Ag looked at him and then made a glance at Miritis who was pretending to not hear, “Not now, okay?” Az smiled, and grabbed Ag in one arm, and Miritis in the other, “Come now! We are all friends here, right?” ---- Reginiat and Zelenix couldn’t help but chuckle as both Ag’s wild magic and Miritis’ regular magic reflexively went off, launching Az across the field, smacking into Andra’seen and Eve, who were mid-embrace. Then the air got quiet again between the two of them. ---- Okay, that was very bad and not easy at all, Az thought, scrambling away from a groaning Eve and Andra, who took his full wait. They all could hear Ag shouting “sorry,” more guilty than they should have been. Eve spoke first, “Tensions still high?” “Yup.” Andra’seen, “Wait, are they close?” “Yup.” Eve and Andra’seen, “Shit.” “Yup.” ---- Ag of course felt guilty. But he did not like being this close to Miritis. Not after how she just blindsided him. Miritis spoke first, “Is he okay?” ‘He’s fine. They are all fine. I’m fine. Are you?” Ag’s voice raised with each syllable. “I know I know.. You didn’t deserve this and---” “You are right. I didn’t deserve that miritis. You are my best friend and you scapegoated me. I was so busy worrying about you that we barely realized quem wasn’t even real in that meeting. Alesis almost got the best of all of us.” Ag let his word vomit fly. “I know… I know...and..i’m sorry.” “Why? Why in Time’s testicles should I forgive you?” Ag sounded harsh, but he truly wanted to know. Sisters gotta stay together, and they were hoping that Miritis had a logical reason. “I... “ What do I even say here. I’m wrong. You are right? Let’s move on? I don’t fucking know. “I regret..not valuing you more. Not valuing how I feel...how I feel about us.” Ag turned to look at his friend, emotions blazing more chaotic than the plane of chaos itself. And as he opened his mouth to speak, they all felt it. ---- Reginiat and Zelenix saw each Harbinger levitate, as if no longer controlled by their own power. They saw them each close their eyes, and enter a cross-legged position. Zelenix spoke, “About time.” She turned fully to Reginiat, “I still need an answer.” Reginiat thought deeply, as she watched each Harbinger emanate small shield of colored energy that matched their Gatekeeper. The Relics seemed to rip from the High Heralds hands as they all went and hovered inside the barrier of their owners, as slowly more and more of that colored energy poured out. “I...won’t lie..Zelenix...Ag deserves none of this. It should have been another. Perhaps not me, but not her.” Zelenix took a sigh, “I appreciate your candor. But it does not answer my question.” Reginiat, “She is too uncontrolled to wield the weapon of Fate, Right?, Surely you see that is--” “Reginiat. Yes. Or no?” Reginiat sighed. She could see Zelenix hands calm, ready and willing to accept either answer. She looked down. There was no beating her master. And so, she stood up and offered her hands outward. “Honestly, Zelenix, yes. If you plan to kill me, I’d rather go out on my own terms.” And she backed up towards the cliff, until there was no more cliff. And looking up to the sky, she walked off. ---- Heirad didn’t like the transformation. His entire form was encased in etheral blue sand. Though he could sense from every grain, the feeling of constant fluidity was a new feeling. As was the presence of the black dracolitch, white lizard, green winged gazelle, red tank, and yellow spider that was near him. Though he could not speak, he could feel their minds. Eve was elated, Az was still thinking about brunch, Andra’seen was surprised. But Agitato and Miritis shared the same sense. Aggravation. Hmm. They need to get along better, for all of our sakes. He heard Miritis’ voice. Agitato chimed in Oh shit, they can hear my thought? Fuck… Az can too. ---- Eve mentally giggled. This would be fun. Hey Miritis, why have you been so rude to Ag? Oh this is… delightful. ---- Regiant never fell. She felt one, then four, then sever small heads pushing back on the cliff. Each of Zelenix’s Familiars had come to save her, and Zelenix now was standing. Surprisingly, there was a look of relief. “I’m glad I haven’t brain-washed you child. We.. need to talk.” She held out a hand, “Things.. Aren’t going to be safe here much longer. I think Athan has a place for you.” Reginiat stood there, before she finally took her hand, and then her whole body, as Reginiat broke into tears, “Oh.. do come with me, Zelenix!” They both were crying now. “Not yet… My job here… It isn’t done.” ---- Thirty intrusive minutes later… Miritis was exhausted. And drained. She had exited her holy mount immediately after her accidental revelation, and flew away. She had to be alone. If she was crying alone, it's like she never cried, right? She wanted to be angry at Eve. ut she couldn’t. She was only sad. She lost Quem. But worse...she just dashed all her chances with Ag. Stupid stupid -- “Stupid.” Said a voice. Miritis did not move, she knew exactly who that voice belonged to. “Miritis… its okay. I’m not.. Mad.. anymore.” Miritis felt compelled. She looked at Ag, and she could see he was so...tired. Singed. As if his magic had gone off again. ‘Oh...death’s door...Ag..what.. What happened.” She was alreadt hugging him now, as Ag protested, trying to run, afraid. “No! It can’t be you too.!” Miritis didn’t stop holding Ag until she had gotten at least one kiss on him. And that’s when she saw who Ag was with. Standing behind him, calm and smiling, but also slightly worried, was Secare Citadel.